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Heart Failure Stages

Topic Overview

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart
Association have devised a classification system for
heart failure that categorizes heart failure based on
the progression of the disease that occurs in most people. Under this system,
heart failure is classified by stages A through D.1

Stages of heart failure

Stage

Definition

Examples

A

Person is at high risk for developing heart
failure but has no structural disorder of the heart.

Person is frequently hospitalized for heart
failure or cannot be safely discharged from the hospital; person is in the
hospital awaiting a heart transplant; person is at home receiving continuous
intravenous support for symptom relief or being supported with a mechanical
circulatory assistive device; or person is in a
hospice setting for the management of heart
failure.

Related Information

References

Citations

Hunt SA, et al. (2009). 2009 focused update
incorporated into the ACC/AHA 2005 guidelines for the diagnosis and management
of heart failure in adults. A report of the American College of Cardiology
Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines.
Circulation, 119(14): e391–e479.

Hunt SA, et al. (2009). 2009 focused update
incorporated into the ACC/AHA 2005 guidelines for the diagnosis and management
of heart failure in adults. A report of the American College of Cardiology
Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines.
Circulation, 119(14): e391–e479.

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